Corridors

Transcontinental corridors - GTE

UIC promotes intercontinental and transcontinental rail traffic and has a dedicated group of experts dealing with this issue - the Global Team of Experts (GTE) Members of the group represent rail and non-rail key stakeholders (railway undertakings, freight forwarders, rail associations, potential customers, shipping lines and others). The GTE serves as a platform for exchange among all stakeholders, and to initiate and steer projects creating the right framework conditions for developing long-distance rail traffic.

Work of the GTE

Following the results of the study ICOMOD (project aimed at establishing the viability of a rail link between Europe and Asia and at assessing the market size) and in the light of the strengthening cooperation between UIC and other International Associations, the year 2012 was aimed at reposi-tioning the UIC group. A gap analysis identified the need to continue market oriented research activities. It is therefore proposed for the group to focus on such issues and collaborate with other Associations as needed. The key issues to be worked out are:

Analysing and generalising information on technical compatibility and interoperability within ITCs;

Summarising of the results of activities among international organisations and certain railway operators aimed at improving transportation along ITCs;

Forecasting of freight and passenger transportation volumes, establishing a data base of freight points of origin and destination as well as volumes structure;

Developing a marketing approach to improve the appeal of ITCs for freight owners and forwarders, presenting the opportunities and prospects offered by ITCs at international forums.

The new GTE was kicked off at a meeting in Helsinki on 28th September 2012 under the chairman-ship of Mr. Veremeev, RZD.